Men's Football Wilshere departure the last thing Arsenal fans want to see

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It was the last thing Arsenal, and if they were honest, England fans wanted to see — Jack Wilshere leaving the field due to injury on Wednesday night.

While the severity of the damage to Wilshere’s ankle has yet to be confirmed, it was still a major blow for the midfielder’s evening to be cut short.

In putting his body on the line during the League Cup semi-final first-leg tie against Chelsea, the 26-year-old blocked a Danny Drinkwater shot in the second-half and was forced to limp off, despite his best attempts to continue.

Wenger said after that it was his “good ankle” which was hurt before adding: "He has an ankle sprain and the first look at it was not too bad, but of course for Sunday [against Bournemouth] I think he will be short.

"I do not know how long he will be out. It is a shame to lose him when he is such good form and it was by blocking the shot that turned his ankle.

"It’s his good ankle so I am quite positive. It's a ligament."

Wilshere had come through the brutal festive period unscathed, starting seven games on the trot, and was starting to look like the promising, dynamic midfielder many had hoped he would be.

Wenger made him captain for the cup tie, a sign of the trust placed in the Englishman, and the midfielder did not let him down.

With his awful injury record the past few seasons, seeing Wilshere in form and healthy was a sight to behold and many thought he had finally got over his torrid health problems.

However, just as fans began to whisper England World Cup hopes in the summer, Wilshere was lying on the Stamford Bridge turf in pain.

Part of the problem with the midfielder is that what starts off as a minor injury spirals into a long-term stay in the Arsenal medical department and there are fears from fans this will be no different.

Wilshere himself said that he hoped “my injury is not too bad and I'm back as soon as possible,” which is a positive.

With his contract up in the summer, this is a pivotal time for him.

Wilshere was sure at the end of December that a deal would be done and, given how he had played a large number of days in a very short space of time, he had every right to be positive.

Should this just be a short spell on the sidelines, there is every possibility he will get that deal as well as be on the plane to Russia this summer.

However, another extended break getting treatment on his ankle could mean the end of his Arsenal career.